


'till the world begins in reverse

by mostlikelydefinentlymad



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: 1940's, Fluff and Humor, M/M, POV Howling Commandos, Secret Relationship, Stucky - Freeform, World War II, much speculation and now good french, who ever knew that the Howlies were shippers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-26
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-08-11 03:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7874638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mostlikelydefinentlymad/pseuds/mostlikelydefinentlymad
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Agent Carter and Cap were sweet on each other and Sarge was sweet on Cap. Wait - maybe Cap was sweet on both of them. God. He didn't sign up for this war just to play an extra on a soap opera.</p><p>[special thanks to Cerise_givree for the French translation help, you're very sweet]</p>
            </blockquote>





	'till the world begins in reverse

**Author's Note:**

> pulling me from the other side of the world, magnetic  
> filling up the space between the stars, we are magnetic  
> nothing's gonna come between us now  
> always gonna find each other somehow

"Did'you see sarge earlier? I don't think I've ever saw him smile that much."

The Howling Commandos are forty five days into terrible weather, hours of traveling by foot, watery coffee and meager rations when Morita points out the obvious. It's not polite to gossip beyond Cap and sarge's backs but they're covered in grime and they're not present. And for that matter there's nothing to talk about that doesn't involve the war and Morita is sick to death of it. Prior to the starry eyed Captain America's arrival, Sgt Barnes had smiled tightly and refused to speak about the life he'd left behind when the military decided they needed more warm bodies.

-

 

_Y'know, Barnes...you've got no girl back home yet you don't pay any mind to the locals here. They won't bite...unless you want 'em to."_

Bucky moved closer to the small campfire he and the others had made. A part of him wanted to fling himself right into it head first. These nostalgic lovesick conversations made him feel like he'd swallowed a grenade. There's no room for love on the front line - you either fight for those you left behind or you let feelings drive you to the edge and end up doing something stupid. Those thoughts were only aired out at night when you needed a damn good reminder of who and/or what you're fighting for and even then you kept them to yourself.

He popped a piece of Wrigley's that he'd bartered for in his mouth and lied straight through his teeth.

_"Too busy."_

_"That's what they all say,"_ Dum-Dum teased and wiggled his eyebrows.

Barnes chose to take up watch duty shortly thereafter and purposely distanced himself from the conversation. They'd assumed he really did have a gal back home and he chose not to share because it hurt too much to talk about her. After all, he wouldn't have been the first soldier to have ever avoided the topic.

And then Captain America had swooped in all patriotism and wide eyed idealism.

Anytime Cap was nearby, Bucky was either at his side or walking toward him - not to mention the whole occasionally sharing a tent deal. Somewhere in between Zola's torture and Cap's arrival Barnes had changed in ways that were not always for the best. He'd became a turbulent mixture of stony silence and green eyed jealousy. Then there were blissful cheek splitting grins meant for one person in particular. Sgt Barnes was a real paradox. It was one of those oddities that everyone noticed but kept to themselves. Instead they'd turned a blind eye to soft gazes that dragged on as if they weren't in the middle of a world war. As if they had time on their side and nothing else mattered.

There was something off about those two.

-

 

Morita kicked at a semi broken shot glass and cocked an eyebrow. A cloud of residue wafted up and nearly made him cough. This bar had once stood tall and unyielding but one bomb had toppled it. Now it was nothing more than a hollowed out reminder of their bleak reality. Captain Rogers and Sgt Barnes had disappeared together - something about checking a crumbling church for much needed supplies.

"Seems like Cap has somethin' we don't."

Dum-Dum scoffed and his face split into the biggest shit eating grin as if he were the proud owner of every answer to have ever existed.

"Speak for yourself. _I've_ got a dame. Not that sarge is a lovesick girl or anything."

Dernier squinted at him in confusion. "Je ne comprends pas."

_I don't understand._

Gabe laughed and translated. "Cap est la fiancée de guerre de Sarge."

_Cap is sarge's war bride._

Dernier stared into the distance, puzzled. "Qu'en est il de l'agent Carter?"

_What about Agent Carter?_

Gabe turned to Dum-Dum for an answer because he sure as hell didn't have one. Agent Carter and Cap were sweet on each other and Sarge was sweet on Cap. Wait - maybe Cap was sweet on both of them. God. He didn't sign up for this war just to play an extra on a soap opera.

"What're you lookin' at me for? I can't understand a single thing he said. For all I know the two of you could be tradin' recipes."

Ah, Dum-Dum. Ever the reliable soldier with helpful answers.

"Elle n'a rien tenté. Elle l'a probablement déjà remarqué.."

_She hasn't made a move. She probably figured it out already._

Morita pulled up a wobbly chair and thought this over - tried to imagine how he'd cope if someone he cared about had eyes for another. He'd move on is what he'd do. If they're sizing someone else up you've already lost the battle. Might as well wave your white flag of surrender. That wasn't something Cap would do though. If anything he'd try to compromise. He'd refuse to let either of them go.

"I'd wager to say Cap'll try to keep both of them. Sure is sad about sarge though. He's gettin' the short end of the stick. Can't marry a fella and make babies."

Falsworth considered this. Suddenly everything made sense - Sarge's change in attitude, the sad forced smiles, the easily volunteered stories about home and how much trouble Steve had always been and still was, the way he regarded Carter with a chip on his shoulder, how he and Cap were completely and utterly inseparable.

"D'you think Cap knows?"

Morita shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, Cap's a good guy but he can't see past his own nose when it comes to sarge. He prob thinks it's one sided."

"If the colonel catches a whiff of this he'll throw 'em both out," Dum-Dum remarked. He was right and if they'd been ordinary soldiers they'd already be on their way home with a dishonorable discharge. They deserved happiness same as the next guy.

"That's why we're not gonna tell him," Falsworth remarked.

They nodded in mutual agreement. They'd take this secret to the grave. Cap had saved their lives and if he made sarge smile then he must be something special.

 

"Shouldn't they be...like brothers?," Gabe questioned. He was far from being an expert on how this sort of thing works itself out but Cap and sarge had known one another nearly their entire lives. Wouldn't you see them as a sibling by then?

However, he had four brothers of his own and never once gazed at them in adoration. If anything they'd regarded one another with irritation the majority of the time for one reason or another. It was always something. Maybe Cap and sarge had a more stable and loving familial relationship?

Dum-Dum began to laugh and slap his knee as if it was the best joke he'd ever heard.  "If that's how brothers act then count me out. I don't want one."

Dernier recognized the word brother and joined in, shoulders shaking with amusement.

"Si ils sont frères, je mange ma chausette!"

_If they are brothers, I will eat my sock!_

He came from a very large family - 5 sisters, 4 brothers. He could spot siblings from a mile away just by how they pick at one another and facial expressions. Cap and sarge were the very opposite.

Gabe nodded, still chuckling.

 

The sound of heavy boots crunching damaged wood and glass interrupted their fun.

"What's so funny?"

Standing side by side, the two of them made a very threatening picture. Cap with his bulging muscles and shield, sarge with his keen eyes and blank face as he clutched his sniper rifle. God help the person who dared to separate them.

Once Sgt Barnes had scoped out the place he'd automatically stepped back into the empty space at Cap's left. They stood close enough that their shoulders were brushing and neither seemed to notice or care. It was second nature to them; being in one anothers space. A person didn't have to know them long to see that plain as day.

Morita coughed and wandered off to pick at the rubble. Dum-Dum, the ass, continued to cackle. Dernier jabbed him in the ribs and it only served to make it worse. Dum-Dum couldn't help but think of how awkward it'd be for Carter to dance with Cap. How sarge would likely take his anger out the first poor nameless sad sack that he came across. And Cap would see it for what it was about as well as a one eyed cat. He'd blink and miss the bigger picture.

 

Falsworth piped up and decided to derail the spectacle.

"I thought I'd bunk with Dernier tonight. Trade with me sarge? I can't take anymore of Cap's snoring."

This made Sgt Barnes grin wide and happy as Cap scowled.

He sounded very much like an indignant child when he spoke. "I haven't snored since the serum."

Every person who'd ever shared a tent with Cap knew how much of a lie Falsworth's statement was. If anything Cap slept like the dead and barely moved once his eyes closed.

"Yeah 'ya have," Dum-Dum retorted. He'd slept in Cap's tent last week when his somehow got wet on the inside. Per usual, Cap hadn't made a peep but the two of them would be happier in the same tent. It was a little white lie for a good cause.

Cap glared at sarge and it began - the bickering that reminded Dernier of his parents who were very much in love despite picking at one another. They'd been married for 45 years now and still argued over small things. Though they'd eventually compromise and never go to bed mad.

" _You're_ the one who nearly inhales the drapes," Cap accused.

"That's not me, that's you. _I've_ never snored a day in my life."

Sgt Barnes crossed his arms defiantly. "October 1938."

Cap rolled his eyes. "For the last time Buck, I didn't get you fired."

"Yes you did. Don't be tellin' lies, Steve. I couldn't sleep for three nights 'cause you were over there sawin' logs. I even stuffed toilet paper in my ears and you know it. Ended up passing out at work and getting fired. That job paid good money too."

"The way I see it I did you a favor. Buck, you were working for scraps and besides that you found a better one after."

Morita took his seat once more and watched the show unfold. Who needs a radio for entertainment when you have these two?

"Yeah but we just about starved 'til I found it."

Cap paused and gave him a look that said _you're being a drama queen. it wasn't **that** bad_. He opened his mouth to make a smart remark but decided to veer back into the original argument instead.

"If my snoring bothered you that much you could've slept on the couch."

Sarge looked as if Cap had just told him that the moon was nothing more than the product of a wild conspiracy theory or that war was actually an enjoyable activity. Apparently he wasn't overly fond of sleeping alone - interesting.

"Yeah like I could get a wink of sleep without your loud mouth. 'least when you're snoring I know you haven't killed over."

Sarge has a very soft side. It's strange to see it in action. You think you know a person...

Cap seemed to melt for a moment before slipping back into soldier mode. "If I had died who would've kept you on your toes?" 

"Pal I wouldn't need anyone to."

Because he'd follow. Goddamn that took a dark turn. Falsworth shifted awkwardly in his chair and picked at his fingernails. He could easily listen in but appear distracted so as to give them somewhat of a shred of privacy.

Cap silently pulled sarge in with a quick but fierce hug that pushed him back an inch or two.

"We should set up camp," Falsworth said, effectively breaking the silence.

Cap and sarge broke apart but Cap's hand lingered on a shoulder and squeezed gently. Sarge gazed at him like a man helplessly in love before clearing his throat and addressing the men.

"It'll be dark soon. We need to move out."

Morita nodded in agreement and gave Cap a pat on the back as he walked past. He really had saved their sargent in more ways than one.

And if Cap touched sarge a little too much, well, no one outside of the Howlies needed to know that.

 

Captain Steve Rogers and Sargent Bucky Barnes were one of WWII's greatest unspoken and tragic love stories.

Let it be known that the Howlies never forgot.

**Author's Note:**

> if you didn't catch the subtext - steve/bucky are together. yes steve still likes peggy and still agreed to take her dancing but nothing more than that. bucky never liked talking about what he left behind in NY because it hurt. they'd only just began to build a life together and stepped over that friends-to-lovers line when bucky got his orders. peggy totally sees through bucky, she did in the movie too. 
> 
> the howlies, poor wee babes, assume steve/bucky are pining and that's as far as it goes. they're willing to give them a push in the right direction just in case.


End file.
